Automatic boot-blacking machine



` (No Medel.) 4 sheets-sheet 1.

I'. G. NORTON.- .AUTOMATIC BOOT BLAOKING MACHINE.

A Patented Mey 2, 1893.

2 rez/cn for.'

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet .2.

F. GpNORTON. AUTOMATIC BooT BLAGKING MACHINE.

No. 496,437. Patented May .2, 1893.

. A' @Il (No Model.) 4 sneetsfsheet y4L.

F. G. NORTON.

y AUTOMATIC BOOT BLACKING MACHINE. No. 496,437.. r Patented May 2, lags.

UNrTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK G. NORTON, OF WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC BOOT-BLACKING MACHINE.l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,437, dated May 2,1893.

Application filed March I8, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, FREDERICK G. NORTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Waukegan, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in'Automatic Boot-BlackingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of automatic boot blackingmachines.

My object therein has been the production of a simple and efficientmachine of this class, in which a series of rotating brushes is given amovement around the foot during which they may both apply the blackingand polish the shoe. In order to obtain this movement around the foot,the brushes which act upon the sides and back of the shoe are mountedupon vertical axes in swinging'arms which are pressed toward each otherwith a yielding pressure by springs, While the brush which acts upon thetoe portion of the shoe is so mounted and operated that it will movefrom side to side over the front, of the foot and rise and fallaccordingto the height of the shoe, thus adapting itself to the contour of thefront portion of the shoe. The series of brushes are all mounted upon acarriage which when the motor of the machine is set in motion advancessufficient] y to carry the brushes to and around the foot in theirprescribed paths and then retreats to its starting position. The machineis also so organized as to feed the brushes with blacking during theiradvance movement and to shut it off during their retreat, thus leavingthem at liberty to polish during the latter movement.

The details of construction, as well as the novel features of themachine will be fully understood from the description which I give belowwhen considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure l is a plan of my machine, the topl of the surrounding case beingremoved. Fig. 2 is a side elevation; the side of the case being omitted.Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial horizontal section on substantially theplane of shaft G in Fig.-2. Fig. 4 is a detail section showing themechanism for supporting and actuating the toe brush. Fig. 5 is a planof the parts shown at Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of theswinging arms carryingthe side brushes. Fig. 7 shows the rack 'for reciprocating the carriage carrying the brushes. Fig. 8 is au enlargeddetail of the cam for opening the blacking reservoir valve of the ltoebrush. Fig. 9 is a detail of the arm actuated by the cam of Fig. 8. Fig.lO is adetail section of the devices for actuating the valve controllingthe supply of blacking to the side brushes. section, of one of theblacking reservoirs. Fig. 12 is a section on the line lf2-l2 of Fig. l1.Fig. 13 is a section on the line 13-13 of Fig. at.

upon which the machine is mounted.

a a represent raised platforms or foot rests on which the feet may beplaced while the shoes are being blacked. y

B represents a suitable casing covering the operative parts of themachine when at rest.

Fig.vl1 is an elevation, partly in I This covering is open at the endtoward the rests ct, and the mechanism moves out of such open end whenthe motor is set in motion, as hereinafter explained;

' I have shown in the drawings a machine adapted to black both shoes atthe same time,

but it will be understood that instead of this the machine may embodyonly one. set of brushes, and repeat its operation.

All the moving parts of the maehineare mounted upon a carriageconsisting of a cross beam C, and branches c. At D is the electric motorby which th'e machine is operated,. Z v

terial, and hence I do not enter into any del tail of explanation withregard to it. It actuates a pinion E, and through such pinion givesmotion to the machine. This pinion meshes with a gear e mounted upon ashaft Fcarrying a miter pinion f meshing with a like pinion g upon thecross shaft G supported from the beam O. From this shaft Gl the variousbrushes are actuated as hereinafter'more fully set forth. Shaft F alsocarries a worm H meshing with a worm gear h mounted upon a'verticalshaft ,'the latter carrying a pinion j meshing with arack J, stationaryas regards longitudinal movement, but movable laterally, as statedfarther on. Surrounding the Iloo . 65 In the drawings A represents asuitable base Y rack J is a frame K, united to the rack so as to berigid therewith, by cross bars k supported upon the plate A. The rackand surrounding frame are also fast upon a cross shaft L which hasfreedom to slide in its bearings on. By means of this pinion j, inconjunction with the rack and the frame, the carriage C c isreciprocated forward and back at each blacking operation, the carriagebeing supported upon rollers M at each end of the cross beam and theroller N at the rear, track bars i?, being provided for each of saidrollers. It will be readily seen that when the motor is set in motionthata rotary movement will be imparted to pinion j, and as the rack isheld by its shaftLagainst any longitudinal movement, the resultanteffect is necessarily a longitudinal movement of the main carriage. Thismovement which advances the brushes to their work continues until thepinion j reaches the end of the rack, at which time beingin continuousmotion and confined by the frame K, said pinion forces the racklaterally and then commences to engage the teeth upon the opposite sideof the rackand to cause a retreat of the carriage. This retreatcontinues until the pinion has reached thev other end of the rack, whenit moves around that end and forces the rack back to its startingposition ready for another advance.

For operating upon the sides and heel of the shoe I provide a pair ofbrushes O O, one at either side of the foot and mount them upon springpressed swinging arms P. Each of said brushes is mounted upon a verticalshaft o in the end of said swinging arm, and said shaft is actuated bythe miter gears q, the shaft p extending longitudinally of the arm P,the bevel pinion r meshing with the gear R upon a vertical journal S,and the gear snponthemaincrossshaftG. EacharmPfinds supportin a bracketT and is forked at the end joined to the bracket, so as to give room tothe gears R r, and is pivoted at each junction of the fork with thebracket, the journal S forming one pivot and the other pivot beingindicated att (Fig. 6). The arms Pare employed in pairs, one for supporting a brush at each side of the foot, and are yieldingly pressedtoward each other at their operating ends by springs W, secured to thecross bar C and extending forward and acting upon the arms near thebrushes. Each of the brushes O carries a blacking reservoir 3, and theflow of the blacking from these reservoirs is controlled by appropriatevalves 4, (Figs. 11 and 12) seated in cylinders 5 provided withdischarge openings (i adapted to be closed by rotating the valve.

A simple construction of the valves and cylinders is illustrated, theformer being cut away at one side and the latter being open upon theside adjoining the reservoir. These Valves are opened momentarily andimmediately closed again during the forward movement of the brushes byanysuitable mechanism, such for instance as the following: Each valvehas a stem 7 and a crank arm 8, and the latter is joined by a pitman rod9 to a pivoted lever 10 stationarily supported from frame C by a bracket11. A spring 10a (Fig. 10) draws the lever 10 in the directionindicated, and by so doing retains the valve inits closed or normalposition. Said spring is however overpowered during the forward movementof the carriage by the contact of a depending elbow extension 12, rigidwith lever 10 and preferably carrying an anti-friction roller 13, with astationary stop 14. This contact results in a tipping of the elbow andthe lever, so that the roller 13 may ride over the stop and also in apartial rotation of the valve sufficient to discharge a small quantityof the blacking. The stop 14 upon its farther side may be inclined asshown, or it may be prolonged to any extent desirable to insure thedischarge of a suiiicient quantity of the blacking, but I prefer thatthe valveshould be retained in the open position only an in stant and toemploy a plurality of stops 14in order to repeat the operation justdescribed at a later stagein the advance of the carriage and thus supplythe brushes at intervals instead of once for all. In this manner theblacking is economized and is more evenly distributed upon the shoe thanit would beif the valves were opened but once.` The stop or stops 14 aresecured toa stationary bar 15 attached to base A. And where more thanone stop is employed, it will be understood that spring 10 closes thevalve between the contacts of the elbow with the several stops. Duringthe retreat of the carriage, there is no actuation of the reservoirvalves because the foot in which the roller 13 is mounted, is pivoted in,a recess y in the elbow l2, which recess allows such foot to yield andride over the stops 14 when the carriage is moving back, while it holdsthe foot rigidly during the advance movement.

The toe brush is indicated at 1G. Itis supported upon a horizontal axis17, carrying bevel gear 18 engaging with a like gear 19 upon thevertical shaft 2O furnished with a bevel gear 2l (Fig. 4) meshing with alike gear 22 upon the main cross shaft. Through this train of gearingthe brush receives its rotation. It is also vibrated laterally over theshoe by appropriate mechanism and the means I have employed for thispurpose I will now describe. The brush arbor 17 is supported in an arm23 which encircles and swings upon the shaft 20, said shaft 20 beingsupported in a frame 24 which is journaled upon the main shaft G. Inthis frame 24 is also journaled a short shaft 25 carryingagear wheel 26receiving power from the shaft 2O through the pinion 27. Upon its upperend shaft 25 carries a crank and wrist pin 2S and 29, such wrist piuworking in the slot 30 of a horizontal arm or extension 3l of the arm23. By this mechanism the brush is during the operation of the machinevibrated to and fro over the toe of the shoe, as will be readily IOO IIO

understood. The vibrating movement thus given the toe brush is not in ahorizontal plane but is a rising and falling movement in order that thebrush may conform to the foot and properly black the sides as well asthe top of the toe portion and to permit thiscompound movement, thebrush and its supports and frame 24 are made capable of swinging uponthe main shaft G as a center, and the shoe itself is made the means ofboth causing and determining the extent of the rise and fall. A spring33 is placed between the frame 24 and the cross beam C, the power ofwhich is exerted in an upward direction and thus tends to throw saidframe and the parts Supported thereby including the brush over towardthe shoe, the spring and brush being located at opposite sides of themain shaft G' upon which the structure swings. With this construction,it will be obvious that the brush will in the vibrating movement rideover the shoe, moving in irregular curved lines corresponding to theoutline of the shoe, and remaining in operative contact with the surfacethereof during the entire operation. The features just described alsopermit the vibrating movements to vary according to the height or widthof the portion of the shoe being blacked or polished. An arm and setscrew 34 and 35 may be employed to limit the downward movement of thebrush, its upward movement beinglimited only by the possible compressionof the spring 33. A stud 36 is preferably employed to hold the spring inplace, and this stud may be integral with shaft 25.

The toe brush is provided with a blacking reservoir 37 similar to thoseused with the side brushes and controlled by a similar valve 38. Thisvalve is also opened during the ad- Vance of the machine by appropriatedevices, which may be the following: The stem of valve 38 carries alaterally and downward eX- tending arm 39 which is actuated by an arm 40upon the upper end of a shaft 4l supported from frame 24 in bearings 42and 43. The normal position of arm 40 is indicated by full lines and itsactuating position by broken lines Fig. 5. The lower end 'of shaft 4lcarries an arm 44 on which is pivotally mounted a dog 45 carrying a pin46, and the latter contacts with a stationary cam 47 as the machineadvances to its work. The dog 45 has a side extension 48 which engageswith a stop 49 upon the arm 44, and a spring 50, shown by broken linesFig. 9, maintains the dog normally in the position given at said figure.This construction insures a deflection of arm 44, and a consequentactuation of shaft 4l and contact at each vibratory movement of thebrush arm 40 with arm 39, and an opening ro'- tation of valve 38 thesemovements taking place whenever the carriage advances and brings pin 46against the cam 47. No such result is caused during the return movementhowever because the pivoted dog can then yield and allow the pin to rideover the cam 'Shaft 4l.

without communicating movement to arm 44. After each actuation of thevalve in this manner, a spring 51 located upon its stem closes it.Contact between arms 40 and 39 takes place only during the time arm 40occupies its position indicated by dotted` lines at Fig. 5, but theremay be more than one actuation of the valve as such contact should occurat each vibration, and there may be a series'of vibrations during thetime the cam 47 is holding the arm 40 in its acting position, the motionof the carriage being a slow one to give the brushes ample time to dotheir work. In the case of the double machine shown, the valves of thetwo toe brush reservoirs may be connected together, and be operatedlsimultaneously by a single cam, and I have so shown them, theconnections consisting of the rod 52 and the cranks 53 and 54 affixedone to each The valves of all the side brushes may all be operated froma single crank shaft 55 extended across the machine and connected to allthe valves and to the actuating mechanism as illustrated, andthis shaftmay carry a spring 56 intended to aid in closing the valves.

The operation of the machine may be briefly described as follows: Theperson whose shoes are to be blacked positioning his feet upon thepedestals or rests ct, and the motor being set in operation the entiremachine ad- Y vances with a slow motion and simultaneously all thebrushes begin to rotate. The side brushes move along the sides of theshoe and a little later the toe brush also begins to operate upon theshoe upper. The side lbrushes are supplied with blacking each time theelbow 12 encounters the stops 14, the valves of their reservoirs beingopened by such contact between the elbow and stops. Thev toe brush isalso supplied with blacking whenever the pin 46 encounters the cam 47,and it moves over the rounded face of the front portion of the shoe witha vibrating movement caused by the wrist pin of crank 28 working in slotof the horizontal extension 31. The forward movement of the carriage dueto the engagement of pinion j with rack J continues until said pinionhas traversed the length of said rack and then begins a return movement,the rack shifting laterally as the pinion -passes around its end and thereturn movement commencing with the engagement by the pinion of theteeth upon the farther side of the rack. During the return movement noblacking is fed, owing to the peculiarities of construction alreadypointed out, but the brushescontinue to rotate and are thus permitted topolish the blacking applied during the advance movement. When thecarriage has reached its IOO normal or starting position the motor isnation of rotatingside brushes mounted upon yielding arms and movingalong the side of the'shoe, and a rotating toe brush' vibratinglaterallyand having liberty to rise and fall to accommodate the contourof the shoe, substantially as specied.

2. In a shoe' blacking machine th'e'cornbinationof rotating side brushesmounted upon yielding arms and moving along the side of the shoe, and arotating toe brush vibrating laterally and having' liberty to rise andfall to accommodate the contour of the shoe, with' means forautomatically movin g said'brushes into operative contact with the shoe,lcomprising-therack .I and pinionj, one'ofv said parts being connectedwith a motor and the other with the supports ofthe brushes,substantially as set forth. g

3. Ina'shoe' -blacking machine the combi# nat-ion of rotatingsidebrushes mounted' upon yielding arms and moving alongthe sidev oftheshoe, anda rotating toebrush vibrating laterally and having libertyto rise and fall toaccommodate the contour 'of' the shoe,"with acarriage upon which said brushes are mount# ed and whereby they are`moved into operative contact with `the shoe, substantially as setforth.

4. In a shoe blacking machine the combination of-a rotating toe brushvibrating laterally and having "liberty to rise and fall` to accommodatethecontour ofthe shoe, with a carriage upon which said brush is mountedand whereby itis moved into operative contact with the shoe, and asuitable motor, substantially as specified.

5. In a shoe'blacking machine the combination of rotating side brushesmounted upon yielding arms and moving along the side of the shoe, and arotating brush vibrating laterally and having liberty to rise and falltoV accommodate the contour of the shoe, with a carriage upon which saidbrushes are mounted and whereby they are moved into operative contactwith the shoe, and a suitable motor also mounted upon the carriage,substantially as set forth. y

6. In a shoe blacking machine the combination of rotating side brushesmounted upon yielding arms and moving along the side of the shoe, and arotating brush vibrating laterally and having liberty to rise and fallto accommodate the contour of the shoe, with a carriage upon which saidbrushes are mounted and whereby they are moved into operative contactwith the shoe, and a suitable motor also mounted upon the carriage, andserving both to move the carriage and actuate the brushes, substantiallyas set forth.

7. In a shoe blacking machine the combination of a suitable foot rest,a' carriage movable toward a'ud from the same, guides for said carriage,rotary brushes mounted on the carriage, actuating mechanism for rotatingthe brushes, a motor for moving the carriage, and connections betweensaid motor and the brush rotating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

S. Ina shoeblackingmachine the'combination with'a series of brushes andacarriage upon which they are mounted and whereby they are moved intooperative position, of a stationary rack, gearing on the carriageengaging the rack, and a motor also mounted upon'said carriage andserving bothv to operatesaid gearing and to actuate the brushes,substantially as set forth.

9. In ashoeblacking machine thecombnation of a'series of rotatingbrushes movable along the shoe, blacking reservoirs and their valves,and means for opening said valves comprising 'a stationary cam 14, footm, and

extension 12 connected with the valve,said means being arrangedtooperate during the advance of the brushes, substantially as setforth.v

l0. Ina shoeblacking machine the combi'- nation of a series of rotatingbrushes movable along the shoe, blac'king reservoirs and their valvesmeans foropen'ing said valves arranged to operate only during theadvance of the brushes, and devices for maintaining'the closure of saidvalves during the retreat of the brushesV substantially as set forth.

11. In ashoe blacking machine, the combination of aseries of rotatingbrushes-movable along the shoe, blacki'ng reservoirs and'theiroscillatory valves and means foropening said valves arranged to operateat intervals during the advance ofthe brushes, comprising a lever arm,and stationary projections substantially as setforth.

12. In a shoe blacking'machine a rotating toe brush, mounted toyieldvertically to accommodatethe rounded top ofthe shoe and also having avibrating movement across the shoe, in combination with a longitudinallyreciprocating carriage carrying the brush supporting devices means forimparting the rotary and the vibratory movements, substantially as setforth.

13. In a shoe blacking machine, an automatic shoe blacking mechanismadapted to move forward and black the shoe and then retreat therefrom,and a platform such as d located in front of and within the limit oftravel of said mechanism and adapted to support the foot during theblacking operation, substantially as set forth.

14. In a shoe blacking machine a casing open at one side, an automaticshoe blackin g mechanism located in said casing and adapted to moveforward through the open side to its work, and a platform for the footlocated opposite said open side, substantially as set valve at therequired point in the movement forth. of the blacking mechanism,substantially as l5. In a shoe blacking machine wherein the set forth.blacking devices are movable along the shoe, FREDERICK G. NORTON. 5 thecombination with a blacking reservoirl Witnesses: f.

and its Va1ve,of a stationary cam and mech- EMMA HACK, anism actuated bysaid cam for opening the H. M. MUNDAY.

